Tonight’s Execution: Rickey Lynn Lewis, Texas

In one of 12 scheduled executions over the next few months, Texas carried out its 2nd lethal injection of 2013 tonight as it enforced the death sentence handed down to 50-year-old Rickey Lynn Lewis.

According to a story by Michael Graczyk for the Associated Press, “six months after he was paroled in early 1990 from a 25-year term for a third burglary conviction, Lewis was arrested for shooting and killing 45-year-old George Newman, raping Newman’s fiancée and stealing her truck after breaking into the couple’s home about 90 miles east of Dallas in Smith County.”

Two other men were involved in the attack but were never identified or arrested.

An execution date was previously set for 2003, but it was stayed to consider a mental impairment claim. However, according to The Austin Chronicle, “Lewis was granted an evidentiary hearing in district court, where a state district judge concluded that Lewis had not demonstrated by a preponderance of evidence that he is deficient; in November 2012, the Fifth U.S. Cir­cuit Court of Appeals agreed.”

Lewis was denied clemency last Friday by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear his case on Monday, April 1.

“I think at this point we’re out of options,” Lewis’ attorney, Seth Kretzer, told the Associated Press.

Newman’s fiancée, who survived the attack, told AP reporter Michael Graczyk that she will be in Huntsville tonight but has not yet decided if she will witness the execution.

“I’m not looking forward to it,” Hilton said of Lewis’ lethal injection. “I was there when George was killed. … It’s not something you want to remember. But I’m looking forward to a final decision, putting an end to that, to the appeal process.

“It’s been going on 23 years. It’s an emotional roller coaster. Every couple years something comes up and you’re constantly reminded of it.”

There are three more executions scheduled in Texas this month and an additional eight set through July. Lewis was the 494th inmate executed in the Lone Star state.

BREAKING VIA @ap – Rickey Lynn Lewis has been executed for fatally shooting a Smith County man and raping the slain man’s fiancee.